15 Ways to Make Money as a Writer

When I was young, I believed writing was a pipe-dream and I don’t even think I felt like it was an actual job. I think I had this idea that authors, were people who were already rich and could afford to spend time writing and once they wrote a best-seller, they were a celebrity. What surprised me the most when I began my writing business, was the different ways I could make actually money. I’m not a celebrity (at least not yet, lol), but I’ve made my fair share of money from writing over the last three years.

I could tell you stories about the different ways I’ve made money writing, but today, I’m getting straight to the point, so check out the list below:

Ghostwriting – this is when you write for another person as if you are them. You can ghostwrite all sorts of things from fiction to non-fiction, including self-help books, business books and biographies.
Writing copy – of course, it’s important to write copy for yourself but you could also write copy for others if you have enough experience. You could write the copy for sales pages, registration pages, sales brochures, check-out pages, thank you pages, and you could even take it a step further and write About Me pages too!
Writing email sequences – many businesses will pay you to write a set of structured emails. You could write nurture sequences and sales sequences too. You could also write newsletters and keep up with a weekly email once the sequences have been executed.
Writing a book of your own – you can make money by writing your own book but this isn’t always a massive amount, but there are things you can do to enhance the income of your book and push the marketing. You can do an online launch, guest speaking, book readings, turn your book into a course or training programme and repurpose your content into live topics, teachings, or blog posts.
Writing lessons, courses, and resources – I’ve made quite a bit of money from writing lessons, courses and resources. If you have the knowledge or are willing to do the research, you can certainly write courses, lessons, and resources. I would suggest it is on a topic you know something about. You only have to know a little more than you’re writing but researching effectively is time-consuming.
Writing short stories – I’ve had many people pay me for short stories. Short stories might appear in certain magazines, or they might want to create a collection. There are also many short story competitions around too.
Writing guides – when I first started out writing, I was hired to write pet care guides. It was fun for some time, but it became repetitive. If you find something you’re passionate about, it’s worth it!
Writing a lead magnet – the world of online has blown-up with the COVID situation recently. With that in mind, more people are working online and if you want people to sign up to your email list or follow you, then a lead magnet is a great way to grow your audience. Write one for yourself or write one for others.
Writing sales scripts – if you’re hot when it comes to selling or customer service, or you can handle any call or webinar situation, then you could write sales scripts and sell them.
Playwriting – schools, drama clubs, and dance schools (or anything else theatre related) sometimes hire a playwright or buy plays. I’ve known schools buy assemblies and Christmas plays – there’s always something to sell. You could take it further, and write a play that could be performed online in separate scenes or at a social distance. Use your imagination!
Screenwriting – TV stations and small film companies will buy screenwriting pieces. Make sure you research and check out what submissions are accepted, but big TV companies like BBC, ITV and Channel 4, often have a list of screenwriting submissions that they are looking for. Imagine writing an episode of your favourite soap, or something like Dr. Who!!!
Writing poetry – it is possible to sell rhymes and poetry. This could be in greeting cards or as a framed gift for someone you’re thinking of. Imagine, being able to give a piece of your specially-written gift to someone who means the world to you!
Writing blog posts – You can write your own blog and earn money by writing reviews or on specific topics, or you could be paid to write blog posts for other people or businesses too.
Writing features, columns, or news articles – journalists make money and the job of a journalist is often freelance these days, although they may end up with regular contracts with a particular newspaper. Most newspapers allow submissions, it’s just a matter of being familiar with the type of things published in the newspaper. Ensure you do your research, and contact the right person with your pitch.
Writing ‘How to’ manuals/guides – many businesses will pay people to write ‘how to’ style manuals or guides for their staff. This can help work processes run smoothly and help a business implement standardised processes. These types of guides and manuals are ultimately a cheap training tool, that an employee can often refer back to, and it can be used several times if it’s electronic.

This list was constructed with the first 15 ideas that I emptied from my brain late at night, so don’t underestimate the power of writing and the income it can bring you in the long-term.

Give it a try, what do you have to lose?

I tried it, and here I am several years later!

Much love,